Vidal Essebag1,2, Zahra Azizi3,4, Pouria Alipour3,4, Yaariv Khaykin3, Peter Leong-Sit5, Jean-Francois Sarrazin6, Marcio Sturmer2, Carlos Morillo7, Maria Terricabras3, Guy Amit8, Jean Francois Roux9, Sherri Patterson3, Atul Verma3. 1. McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada. 2. Hôpital Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. 3. Southlake Regional Health Centre, 602-581 Davis Drive, Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P6, Canada. 4. Faculty of Health, York University, ON, Canada. 5. London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada. 6. Quebec Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada. 7. Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 8. Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada. 9. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Abstract
AIMS: Atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly impairs patients' quality of life (QOL). We performed this study to investigate the effect of AF-ablation success and atrial fibrillation burden (AFB) on QOL measures. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 230 patients with paroxysmal AF refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs were enrolled and underwent ablation in a multicentre, prospective cohort. Electrocardiogram, 48-h Holter, Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity of Atrial Fibrillation (CCS-SAF), short form-12 (SF-12), and Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of life (AFEQT) scales were used to assess patients. Atrial fibrillation burden was defined as total duration of AF during the month prior to each visit (h/month). The change in AFB was calculated as the difference between the month prior to the 12-month post-ablation and the baseline pre-ablation. The Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) was considered as a 19-point change for AFEQT and 3-5-point change for SF-12 scores. There was significant rise in the AFEQT and SF12 and decrease in CCS-SAF score post-AF ablation; however, the magnitude of these changes was greater in patients without AF recurrence (P < 0.05). The QOL score that best differentiated patients with and without recurrence was AFEQT, while, CCS-SAF was the most specific score. Patients with AFB decrease >19 h/month had significantly greater change in QOL scores. Atrial fibrillation burden < 24 h/month at 12-months post-ablation was associated with significant changes in QOL and CCS-SAF when adjusting for baseline scores and other covariates. These changes were consistent with the MCID of these measures. CONCLUSION: Patients experience significant improvements in QOL post-ablation, which correlate with a decrease in AFB despite ongoing brief recurrences of AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01562912. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01562912? term=capcost&rank=1. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
AIMS: Atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly impairs patients' quality of life (QOL). We performed this study to investigate the effect of AF-ablation success and atrial fibrillation burden (AFB) on QOL measures. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 230 patients with paroxysmal AF refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs were enrolled and underwent ablation in a multicentre, prospective cohort. Electrocardiogram, 48-h Holter, Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity of Atrial Fibrillation (CCS-SAF), short form-12 (SF-12), and Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of life (AFEQT) scales were used to assess patients. Atrial fibrillation burden was defined as total duration of AF during the month prior to each visit (h/month). The change in AFB was calculated as the difference between the month prior to the 12-month post-ablation and the baseline pre-ablation. The Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) was considered as a 19-point change for AFEQT and 3-5-point change for SF-12 scores. There was significant rise in the AFEQT and SF12 and decrease in CCS-SAF score post-AF ablation; however, the magnitude of these changes was greater in patients without AF recurrence (P < 0.05). The QOL score that best differentiated patients with and without recurrence was AFEQT, while, CCS-SAF was the most specific score. Patients with AFB decrease >19 h/month had significantly greater change in QOL scores. Atrial fibrillation burden < 24 h/month at 12-months post-ablation was associated with significant changes in QOL and CCS-SAF when adjusting for baseline scores and other covariates. These changes were consistent with the MCID of these measures. CONCLUSION:Patients experience significant improvements in QOL post-ablation, which correlate with a decrease in AFB despite ongoing brief recurrences of AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01562912. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01562912? term=capcost&rank=1. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
Authors: Astrid N L Hermans; Nikki A H A Pluymaekers; Theo A R Lankveld; Manouk J W van Mourik; Stef Zeemering; Trang Dinh; Dennis W den Uijl; Justin G L M Luermans; Kevin Vernooy; Harry J G M Crijns; Ulrich Schotten; Dominik Linz Journal: Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc Date: 2021-09-15
Authors: Monika Sadlonova; Jochen Senges; Jonas Nagel; Christopher Celano; Caroline Klasen-Max; Martin Borggrefe; Ibrahim Akin; Dierk Thomas; Christopher Jan Schwarzbach; Thomas Kleeman; Steffen Schneider; Matthias Hochadel; Tim Süselbeck; Harald Schwacke; Angelika Alonso; Markus Haass; Karl-Heinz Ladwig; Christoph Herrmann-Lingen Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2022-02-21 Impact factor: 4.241
Authors: Daniel Mol; Anchee M Boersma; Wouter R Berger; Muchtiar Khan; Gijsbert S de Ruiter; Geert-Jan P Kimman; Joris R de Groot; Jonas S S G de Jong Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-01-21 Impact factor: 3.240